About Me
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I'm an Aotearoa New Zealand writer of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror and Erotica who loves nothing more than mixing the genres together in weird and wonderful ways.
Writing speculative fiction is a passion that gives me an outlet for my ridiculous imagination. Two of my short stories and my short story collection, Letters From Elsewhere, were finalists for Sir Julius Vogel Awards (the only speculative fiction awards in Aotearoa New Zealand) in 2024. At various times in my past I've been a teacher, bus-driver, marine biologist and a farmer. A veritable Jac(qui) of all trades! My life has been a rich and fantastic adventure. I've been to amazing places, done incredible things and met wonderful people. Long may it continue! All my works of fiction are wholly human endeavours and have not been AI assisted. Represented by Becky LeJeune of Bond Literary Agency |
What are my inspirations?
I've been an avid consumer of books since I learnt to read at five years old. Before I was eleven, I'd read my way through the entire collection of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, most of Enid Blyton's Famous Five and Secret Seven series and the 12 books making up the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome. I'd also read Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.
What all of those books have in common are female characters - girls like me - participating fully in the adventures. To a young girl growing up in the 1960's & 70's that was exciting. It filled me with hope and excitement for the future along with a firm belief that I too could do, and become, whatever I put my mind to.
My obsession with reading hasn't waned. I'm not a particularly discerning reader and will read almost anything - on the caveat that it's entertaining and well written. I love romping great adventures, modern literature, science fiction, fantasy, erotica, dystopia, horror and, yes, even some non-fiction.
Staring at my bookshelf names that leap out are Anne McCaffrey, Annie Proulx, Clive Cussler, Margaret Atwood, Joanne Harris, Mary Stewart, Douglas Adams, Emmanuelle de Maupassant, Jostein Garder, Elizabeth Gilbert, Isabel Allende, C.S Pascat, Krissy Keen and Mark Kurlansky.
My e-book collection is populated by Martha Wells, Ann Leckie, Mary Robinette Kowal, Alan Baxter, Tamsyn Muir, N.K. Jemison, Nnedi Okorafor, Terry Pratchett, Ken Liu, and Natasha Pulley amongst many, many others.
Fellow Aotearoa New Zealand speculative fiction authors that I recommend are: Lee Murray ONZM, Nikky Lee, Sharon Manssen, Tee Woods (Tabitha Woods), Kirsten McKenzie, Dan Rabarts, A.J. Ponder, Jan Goldie & Piper Mejia.
What I notice in those lists is the preponderance of women authors and that realisation warms my heart.
What all of those books have in common are female characters - girls like me - participating fully in the adventures. To a young girl growing up in the 1960's & 70's that was exciting. It filled me with hope and excitement for the future along with a firm belief that I too could do, and become, whatever I put my mind to.
My obsession with reading hasn't waned. I'm not a particularly discerning reader and will read almost anything - on the caveat that it's entertaining and well written. I love romping great adventures, modern literature, science fiction, fantasy, erotica, dystopia, horror and, yes, even some non-fiction.
Staring at my bookshelf names that leap out are Anne McCaffrey, Annie Proulx, Clive Cussler, Margaret Atwood, Joanne Harris, Mary Stewart, Douglas Adams, Emmanuelle de Maupassant, Jostein Garder, Elizabeth Gilbert, Isabel Allende, C.S Pascat, Krissy Keen and Mark Kurlansky.
My e-book collection is populated by Martha Wells, Ann Leckie, Mary Robinette Kowal, Alan Baxter, Tamsyn Muir, N.K. Jemison, Nnedi Okorafor, Terry Pratchett, Ken Liu, and Natasha Pulley amongst many, many others.
Fellow Aotearoa New Zealand speculative fiction authors that I recommend are: Lee Murray ONZM, Nikky Lee, Sharon Manssen, Tee Woods (Tabitha Woods), Kirsten McKenzie, Dan Rabarts, A.J. Ponder, Jan Goldie & Piper Mejia.
What I notice in those lists is the preponderance of women authors and that realisation warms my heart.